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Privacy statement

This statement sets out the Greater Bendigo City Council’s general policy in relation to our privacy obligations to youand our handling of your personal and or health information.

Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your “personal and or health information” isvery important to us and is fundamental to the way we serve you. We believe that the Greater Bendigo City Council’s privacypolicies and health privacy policies comply with the information Privacy Act No.98/2000 and the Health Records Act 2001(Vic).

What is personal and health information

Personal information means any information we hold about you from which we can determine your identity. For example, wecollect and use your name, address, phone numbers, and on occasions, date of birth, next of kin details etc. Collecting andusing this personal information ensures we deliver the appropriate service required by you as efficiently as possible.

Health Information means information or an opinion about the physical, mental or psychological health of an individual or adisability of an individual or an individual’s expressed wishes about the future of health services to him or her; or a healthservice provided or to be provided to an individual that is also personal information.

Collection of your personal and or health information

The City of Greater Bendigo will generally only collect personal information directly from you. We collect such personalinformation to the extent that it is reasonably necessary to provide our servicesor to carry out our internal administrative procedures.

We will collect personal and or health information from you by lawful and fair means and not in an unreasonably obtrusive way.

The types of personal information we may collect from you generally comprises name, address, age group, gender, contactdetails (including phone, fax and email) and information collected as a result of you using or acquiring particular City of GreaterBendigo products or services.

The type of health information will only be collected for the provision of a service/s where support or assistance for healthprevention/intervention, professional health advice or a community service is required. This information will not be available foranyone else to see but the relevant professional staff in the City of Greater Bendigo community services departments.

Use and disclosure of your personal and or health information

We generally collect your personal and health information in order to provide you with, or give you access to, a particular Cityof Greater Bendigo service or product.

The personal information we may collect from you would generally fall within your reasonable expectations and ultimately itallows us to provide you with better customer service.

The health information we may collect will only be for the use of providing you with the appropriate service and or professionalhealth advice and to ensure continuity of care is maintained for you at all times.

We may also use or disclose your personal or health information for purposes related or ancillary to the main reason we collectit where such use or disclosure would be reasonably expected by you. For example we may outsource some of our internalfunctions and activities to other organisations. And in the course of doing this we may disclose your personal and or healthinformation in order for the service provider to undertake that particular function.

Our privacy and health policies require that confidentiality agreements are in place specifically prohibiting these serviceproviders from using or disclosing your personal information for any other purpose than for the reason it was provided to them.

There are other situations where, for example we are compelled by law to disclose your personal and or health information.

For instance, under certain circumstances we may be compelled to provide your personal and or health information, to lawenforcement agencies, the Australian Electoral Office, the Department of Human Services and the like.

Quality and accuracy of your personal and or health information

If we have accurate personal and or health information about you, it enables us to provide you with the best possible service.

The City of Greater Bendigo takes reasonable steps to ensure that your personal and or health information is accurate,complete and up to date whenever we collect it or use it. If you find that some of the personal and or health information wehold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date please contact us immediately.

Security of your personal information

The City of Greater Bendigo takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised disclosure or destruction. The City of Greater Bendigo has in place generally accepted standards of technology andoperational security in order to keep your personal and or health information safe.

Only authorised City of Greater Bendigo employees, subcontractors or agents may, for approved purposes, access yourpersonal and or health information. We have policies in place to reasonably ensure your personal and or health information issafe.

Access to your personal and or health information

The City of Greater Bendigo will, on request, provide you with access to your personal and or health information, whichis held by us. However we ask that you, as clearly as possible, identify the type/s of information requested.

The City of Greater Bendigo will deal with your request as soon as practicable but within 45 days. In certain circumstances,however, the law permits us to refuse your request to provide you with access to your personal and or health information. Ifcouncil denies access or correction, council will provide reasons. The City of Greater Bendigo will retain discretion to applyappropriate charges as required for the response to your request.

Correction of your personal and or health information

If your personal and or health information, which we collect, use or discloses is inaccurate, incomplete or not up to date pleaselet us know and we will take reasonable steps to ensure that it is correct.

Where the City of Greater Bendigo does not agree with your view, and if you ask us to do so we will take reasonable steps tonote your claim where that information is stored and accessed.

Anonymity and your personal and or health information

Wherever it is lawful, in the reasonable view of the City of Greater Bendigo and it is practicable to do so, you have the optionto remain anonymous when dealing with the City of Greater Bendigo. Of course, on occasions there are times when there isno need for you to provide your personal information to the City of Greater Bendigo in order to buy or use some of ourproducts.

Children and personal and or health information

The City of Greater Bendigo recognises the importance of protecting children’s privacy Where practical, we willendeavour not to collect, use or disclose personal and or health information about anyone under the age of 18 years unless wehave the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Consent

By acquiring or using a product, service or agency function of the City of Greater Bendigo, you consent to us collecting,storing, using, maintaining and disclosing your personal information to the extent that is reasonably necessary for us toprovide a City of Greater Bendigo product or service to you or carry out our administrative or agency functions for relatedpurposes.

In the event of health information being collected, stored, or used your consent is required on your initial visit or consultation.

In the event of subsequent referrals consent for transfer of information is required from you or your guardian, parent or carer,where practicable and reasonable. In the situation where we are compelled by law to disclose your personal and or healthinformation (see use and disclosure) consent is not required.

We reserve the right to make changes to the Greater Bendigo City Council’s Privacy and Health policies from time to time oras required by law.